Stereo lock

ABSTRACT

Stereo lock, for locking stereo apparatuses, or the like, in automobiles, or in other locations where such apparatuses may be disposed. The mounting brackets for the stereo units are screwed to the stereo unit, together with hinged members, one at each side of the stereo apparatus, these being pivotally movable to beneath the apparatus where they are locked together by a lock mechanism consisting of a locking slide and a keeper, the latter including a key operated locking mechanism.

O United States Patent 1151 3,673,828

Jones 1 July 4, 1972 STEREO LOCK 3,595,041 7/1971 Leeper ..70 232 [72] Inventor: Alton Jones, 724 South 13th Street 3,563,070 2/1971 Earl ..70/232 Nedefland 77627 Primary ExaminerRobert L. Wolfe [22] Filed: Jan. 11, 1971 Attorney-Carl B. Fox, Jr.

[21] App1.No.: 105,305 [57] ABSTRACT Stereo lock, for locking stereo apparatuses, or the like, in au- (g1. ..70/58,;81g17G3./{5)(7) tomobilas, or in other locations where Such apparatuses may [58] Fie'ld 230 14 be disposed. The mounting brackets for the stereo units are 7O/DIG i screwed to the stereo unit, together with hinged members, one at each side of the stereo apparatus, these being pivotally [56] References Cited movable to beneath the apparatus where they are locked UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,655,806 10/1953 Stiler ..70/S7 3,410,122 11/1968 Moses ..70/58 together by a lock mechanism consisting of a locking slide and a keeper, the latter including a key operated locking mechanism.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 4 1912 3. 673,828

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INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY STEREO LOCK SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Stereo apparatuses and the like are relatively expensive and are subject to theft from automobiles and from other locations where they may be disposed for use. At the present time, no apparatus is available for suitably locking stereo apparatuses and the like in automobiles, or in other locations where they may be mounted for use. The ordinary mountings for such apparatuses provide that by simply removing a few screws, usually four, the apparatus may be removed from its mounting brackets and stolen. Because of this, insurance coverage on automobile stereo units is virtually unobtainable. This invention provides lock apparatus which is useful in preventing the theft of stereo apparatuses or the like, especially from automotive vehicles.

Briefly, the apparatus includes a pair of hinged elements which are screwed to the stereo unit, or the like, at the same time that the stereo unit is assembled to the mounting brackets therefore, the hinged elements being pivotally movable to extend around the lower portions of the stereo unit and locked together by an adjustable lock which includes a locking slide and a keeper lock mechanism which may be removably affixed to the locking slide to tightly lock the same in place. Unless the locking mechanism is unlocked by a key, or by operating a combination to open the same, the stereo unit may not be removed. The screws by which the stereo unit is assembled in the carrier brackets therefor, and by which the locking elements are installed are completely covered so that they may not be removed unless the locking assembly is unlocked and opened.

The stereo lock apparatus afforded by the invention is inexpensive and simple to use, and is adaptable to a variety of apparatuses, such as stereo units of different makes and dimensions, and to other similar apparatuses such as radios which may be desired to be installed in place for use without unwanted removal or theft.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference during the course of the description being made to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing a stereo lock of preferred fonn according to the invention, showing the locked position thereof by solid lines and the unlocked position thereof by dashed lines.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing portions of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in disassembled condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, and first primarily to FIG. 1, reference numeral indicates the downwardly facing wall surface at the underside of the dashboard of an automobile. The stereo unit 11 is shown mounted under dashboard 10, but it will be understood that, first, the unit may be mounted in any desired location other than beneath the dashboard of an automobile, and second, the unit 1 1 may comprise other apparatus than a stereo unit.

A pair of mounting angle brackets 14, 15 each having a form, are screwed by plural screws 16 inserted through perforations thereof to the underside of a dashboard 10 of an automobile. Brackets 14, 15 are disposed such that the screws 16 are covered by stereo unit 11 when it is installed in the brackets. In other words, the horizontal portions 18, 19 of the brackets are disposed above the stereo unit, and the vertical portions 20, 21 of the brackets are positioned to be flushly against opposite sides of the stereo unit.

Normally, the portions 20, 21 of brackets 14, 15, respectively, would be connected to opposite sides of the stereo unit 1 1 by plural screws 24 and 25, plural screws 24 being inserted through plural perforations through bracket portion into tapped openings provided in one side of unit 11, and plural screws 25 being inserted through plural perforations through bracket portion 21 into plural tapped openings into the other side of stereo unit 11. In this condition, removal of the stereo unit requires only that the screws 24 and 25 be removed, whereupon the entire stereo unit may be taken away from brackets 14, 15. This condition allows ready theft of the stereo unit, as there is nothing to prevent the removal of the screws.

According to the invention, a pair of lock hinges 31, 32 are provided, these having flat hinge parts 31a, 31b and 32a, 32b, respectively. Parts 31a, 31b, are'connected by a hinge portion 310 while parts 32a, 321: are connected by a hinge part 32c. Hinge parts 31c, 32c, provide connections between the other hinge elements, so that the respective parts may be moved in the manner of a hinge.

Part 31a of hinge element 31 is shown disposed covering a portion of bracket portion 20. The screws 24 are disposed through plural perforations of bracket portion 20 and also through plural perforations of hinge part 31a. Thus installed, the hinge part 31b is movable from open position 31d to locking positions 31b. Similarly, bracket portion 21 of bracket 15 and hinge part 320 are screwed to the other side of the stereo unit 11 by the plural screws 25, whereupon hinge part 32b is movable between positions 32b and 32d. In their closed positions 31b, 32b the movable hinge parts completely cover the exposed heads of screws 24, 25 so that the screws 24, 25 may not be removed.

Hinge part 31b has at its end a downtumed portion 3le, and binge part 32b has at its end portion a downtumed portion 32e. A locking slide slot 35 is provided through each of hinge portions 31e and 32e. The slot 35 of element 3le is not shown in the drawings, but is identical with the slot 35 which is shown in FIG. 2 for hinge part 32b.

A locking slide 37 has an enlarged end 38 and along one side a plurality of locking recesses 39. The locking slide is inserted through the slot 35 of either of the downtumed portions 3le, 32e and across the space therebetween to be inserted through the other downtumed portion 3le, 32e. In FIG. 1, locking slide 37 is shown inserted through the slot 32 of downtumed portion 3le and then inserted through slot 35 of downtumed portion 32e. A keeper lock mechanism 42, which is adapted to engage with the locking recesses or notches 39 is received over the end 41 of the locking slide and moved to against the outer side of hinge portion 32e in which position it is locked and will thereby prevent removal of the locking slide and hinges from their closed dispositions shown in FIG. 1.

With the apparatus thus assembled, and with hinge parts 31b, 32b closed against the sides and bottom of stereo unit 11, the screws 24, 25 and the stereo unit may not be removed without unlocking of lock mechanism 42. Also, since screws 16 are also covered by the stereo unit itself, theft of the stereo unit is adequately protected against. For removal of the stereo unit to another location, or for the making of repairs or the like, the lock mechanism 42 may be unlocked and removed from locking slide 37, so that locking slide 39 may be withdrawn from the slots 35, after which hinge parts 31b, 32b may be moved to their respective positions 31d, 32d, this exposing the screws 24, 25 so that the stereo unit 1 1 may be easily removed. Mechanism 42 may be a key lock, a combination lock, or any other suitable form of lock.

While a preferred embodiment of apparatus according to the invention has been described and shown in the drawings, many modifications thereof may be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to protect by Letters Patent all forms of the invention falling within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Lock apparatus for use in locking in place an object mounted against a wall means, comprising first and second hinge means each comprising a first flat member adapted for connection against one side of the object and a second flat member pivotally connected to said first flat member movable to cover said first flat member and said connection to the object and therebeyond extending to beneath the object and having an outturned end, said first and second hinge means being connected to opposite sides of the object, and lock means for connecting said outturned ends of said first and second hinge means toward one another.

2. The combination of claim 1, said outturned ends of said first and second hinge means each having slot means therethrough, said lock means comprising locking slide means receivable through both said slot means, and keeper means releasably engageable with said locking slide means for preventing removal of said locking slide means from said slot means.

3. The combination of claim 2, said object being mounted against said wall means by bracket means comprising end tab means disposed along said sides of the object to beneath said first flat members of said first and second hinge means, said connections of said first and second hinge means to opposite sides of the object also connecting said tab means to opposite sides of the object.

4. The combination of claim 3, said bracket means having securing means for connecting said bracket means to said wall means, said securing means being covered by the object to be inaccessible for tampering and removal.

5. The combination of claim 3, said connections of said firs and second hinge means and said tab means to opposite sides of said object comprising plural screws received through registered perforations of said first flat means of said hinge means and said tab means and in tapped openings in opposite sides of the object, said second flat means of said hinge means completely covering the heads of said screws when said lock means is engaged to hold said outturned ends of said hinge means connected as described, and movable away from said screw heads to expose same when said lock means is released.

6. The combination of claim 5, said wall means comprising a surface beneath the dashboard of an automotive vehicle, and said object being a stereo unit. 

1. Lock apparatus for use in locking in place an object mounted against a wall means, comprising first and second hinge means each comprising a first flat member adapted for connection against one side of the object and a second flat member pivotally connected to said first flat member movable to cover said first flat member and said connection to the object and therebeyond extending to beneath the object and having an outturned end, said first and second hinge means being connected to opposite sides of the object, and lock means for connecting said outturned ends of said first and second hinge means toward one another.
 2. The combination of claim 1, said outturned ends of said first and second hinge means each having slot means therethrough, said lock means comprising locking slide means receivable through both said slot means, and keeper means releasably engageable with said locking slide means for preventing removal of said locking slide means from said slot means.
 3. The combination of claim 2, said object being mounted against said wall means by bracket means comprising end tab means disposed along said sides of the object to beneath said first flat members of said first and second hinge means, said connections of said first and second hinge means to opposite sides of the object also connecting said tab means to opposite sides of the object.
 4. The combination of claim 3, said bracket means having securing means for connecting said bracket means to said wall means, said securing means being covered by the object to be inaccessible for tampering and removal.
 5. The combination of claim 3, said connections of said first and second hinge means and said tab means to opposite sides of said object comprising plural screws received through registered perforations of said first flat means of said hinge means and said tab means and in tapped openings in opposite sides of the object, said second flat means of said hinge means completely covering the heads of said screws when said lock means is engaged to hold said outturned ends of said hinge means connected as described, and movable away from said screw heads to expose same when said lock means is released.
 6. The combination of claim 5, said wall means comprising a surface beneath the dashboard of an automotive vehicle, and said object being a stereo unit. 